Blackwater call for cameras denied (in 2005)

[sabra]

Source: WashTimes

The State Department cited legal concerns in turning down a 2005 request from Blackwater USA to install cameras in official U.S. motorcades protected by employees of the security contractor in Iraq, The Washington Times has learned.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ordered cameras to be placed in Blackwater vehicles earlier this month, following a Sept. 16 shooting incident in Baghdad, in which the firm's agents are accused of killing as many as 17 Iraqi civilians.

But Blackwater officials said the company first asked the State Department's law-enforcement arm, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), to take that step on May 17, 2005, "in response to a false accusation against one of our teams in Baghdad."

...

The company considered the possibility that the cameras could be used to provide evidence against its guards in Iraq but determined that, on balance, they would work to the company's advantage. It also planned to use the footage for training purposes.

However, a DS official in Washington, Paul Nassen, called the company on May 18 and asked that it "stand down," because the legal department "had some issues" with the proposal and was "not ready to incorporate it into the contract," according to an e-mail message from Blackwater to its employees that same day.

Read more: http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071024/FOREIGN/110240068/1001

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. It's not uncommon for employers to put cameras on employees to inhibit them breaking the law

Especially in jobs where it's highly likely the employee will break the law, i.e. casinos.

What's curious is that the State Department is willing to toss Blackwater under the bus on this one.

From the Article:

Asked why the department rejected Blackwater's request, spokesman Tom Casey said on Thursday: "I have no reason to believe that actually occurred. ... I've never heard that that idea was ever proposed."

Later that day, a Blackwater official said the company had received an indication from DS that Mr. Casey's remark would be "corrected." Mr. Casey was given an opportunity to do that on Friday, but said he had nothing to add to what he said the day before.